Blocking device for registering business machines

ABSTRACT

Blocking device for registering business machines having a keyboard field including number key banks and amount-key banks, including blocking means operatively connected to and adjustable by keys of the number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and sensing members cooperating with the blocking means for releasing a respective machine run, the blocking means being formed with locking and releasing profiles for locking the keys as well as for intermediately locking the sensing members and for completely releasing the sensing members from controlled condition thereof.

ilriite States atent m Rethmeier [54] BLOCKING DEVICE FOR REGISTERING BUSINESS MACHINES 1 51 Feb. 13, 1973 3,181,784 5/1965 Becker ..235/2 3,348,769 /1967 Busch ..235/MT Inventor: Gerhard Rethmeier, Oldentrup, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Germany 951,538 10/1956 Germany ..235/2 [73] Assignee: Anker-Werke AG, Bielefeld, Ger- 964,905 5/1957 Germany ..235/2 many Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson [22] Sept 1970 Assistant Examiner-Stanley A. Wal [21] Appl. No.: 74,619 Attorney-Curt M. Avery, Arthur E. Wilfond, Herbert L. Lerner and Daniel J. Tick Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 24, I969 Germany ..P I9 48 233.6 Blocking device for registering business machines ing a keyboard field including number key banks and [52] U.S.Cl. ..235/7 R, 235/27 am0unt key banks including blocking means opera [SI] it. CI. "I. tively connected to and adjustable y y of the [58] held f Search 7 R1 number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and 235/60 60-31 sensing members cooperating with the blocking means for releasing a respective machine run, the blocking kefyel'ences C'ted means being formed with locking and releasing UNTED STATES PATENTS profiles for locking the keys as well as for intermed1ately locking the sensmg members and for 2,173,246 9/1939 Aurbach ..235/7 R completely releasing the sensing members from con- 2,262,258 11/1941 Shipley et al. ..235/7 R trolled condition thereof, 2,387,554 10/1945 Aurbach ..235/27 2,894,449 7/1959 Boyden et a1. ..235/ 145 R X 9 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures /4/ an w 114 PATENTEDFEB] 3197s SHEET 1 [IF 9 PATENTED 31973 3,716,694

SHEET 2 OF 9 FEB 31375 PATENTED SHEET 3 OF 9 PATENTED FEB l 3 I973 SHEET 9 OF 9 BLOCKING DEVICE FOR REGISTERING BUSINESS MACHINES My invention relates to a blocking device for re gistering business machines and more particularly to such device which, by a suitable combination of depressed keys, effects a release of a machine run.

In German Pat. No. 964,905, there is described a blocking device for registering business machines wherein the release of the various machine runs is effected by adjustable locking segments which act on spring-biased indexing brackets, and which are provided with control profiles that are interrupted by rectangular recesses. The adjustment of the individual locking segments is effected by coordinated key sliders, and the release of one of the indexing brackets which effect a starting operation can take place only if the combination of keys prescribed for the respective machine run is actuated.

Furthermore, a key-blocking system for bookkeeping machines has become more known from German Pat. No. 527,381, wherein the control keys are controlled by key-locking means for compelling a quite specific servicing sequence for the varying bookkeeping operations.

While the aforementioned known device exerts no locking action on the keys proper, the locking sliders coordinated with the individual key banks of the aforementioned key-blocking system require, in the starting operation, not only considerable force for depressing the keys but also a markedly high expense for auxiliary control means for the locking sliders coordinated with the individual key banks.

By the use of registering business machines for the provision of machine-readable data carriers which are subsequently evaluated by electronic data processing machines, ever-increasing demands are being made with respect to the extent of data being introduced. Next to the various business operations, which are generally clearly determined by means of the amount, control and adding-mechanism selector keys, essential varying control data, which have to be evaluated by machine, must be introduced into the machine for specific business operations.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide blocking device for registering business machines which assure with the least possible expense for locking means, a functionally accurate operation and service thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such blocking device which will-perform locking functions for specific key groups to compel a key-servicing sequence for performing one of the aforedescribed business operation and to stop incomplete keying in of numerical data, especially.

With the foregoing and other object in view, I provide in accordance with' my invention, a blocking device for registering business machines having a keyboard field including number key banks and amount-key banks, comprising blocking means operatively connected to and adjustable by keys of the number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and sensing members cooperating with the blocking means for releasing a respective machine run, the blocking means being formed with locking and releasing profiles for locking the keys as well as for intermediately locking the sensing members and for completely releasing the sensing members from controlled condition thereof.

By the coordination of key locking functions to the blocking device, there are provided not only a marked broadening of the useful range thereof but also considerable advantages with respect to the simplification of the machine locking and releasing means. Moreover, keying errors in the introduction of numerical data are avoided and the keying sequences for the respective aforedescribed business operations are forcibly assured.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, I provide a blocking device wherein the locking and releasing profiles of the blocking means are in the form of recesses of varying shape that selectively afford conversion of the sensing members in controlled condition to intermediately locked and to released positions.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the blocking means comprises a plurality of rotary segments which include rotary segments that are forcelockingly coordinated with the number keys banks and the amount-key banks, and there are also included means for adjusting at least another of the rotary segments form-lockingly, and electromagnet means for adjusting yet another rotary segment that is controlled by the insertion of a voucher to be imprinted into the business machine.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a blocking device for registering business machines, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a cash register constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the keyboard of the cash register of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the machine drive for the cash register of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of FIG. 3, also showing the key reset device of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the blocking device of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the blocking device of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary side views of details of the key control system of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the reset device of the blocking device of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a side view of an electromagnetic adjustment device for one of the blocking segments of the blocking device of the invention;

FIG. 1 l is a side view of the indexing bridge;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are side views of the key slider;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the indexing bridge of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a partially depressed key when the key slider is locked.

Referring now to the drawings and first, particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a cash register 1, constructed in accordance with the invention which has a keyboard field 2 subdivided into two number banks 3 and 4, three amount-key banks 5 for posting dollar amounts, two amount-key banks 6 for posting cents amounts, a control key bank 7 as well as an ad ding mechanism selector bank 8. The keys 9 and 10 of the number banks 3 and 4 serve for registering merchandise numbers, customer identification numbers and other numerical data useful for subsequent data processing, and the keys 11 and 12 of the amountkey banks 5 and 6 for registering the posted amounts for purchased merchandise to be added. In the control key bank 7 there are provided a totalizing key 13 for cash purchases (merchandise to be carried off by the purchaser), a totalizing key 14 for cash purchases (merchandise to be delivered), a sub-totalizing key 15, two selector keys 16 and 17, an additional totalizing key 18 for credit purchases, a control key 19 (no sale) as well as a key lock 20, which is operable by the insertion of a key therein and is provided for introducing constant values and the like.

On the outer right hand side of the keyboard field 2, as viewed more clearly in FIG. 2, a window 21 is provided through which an indicator wheel 22 is visible. The selector keys 23 with the numerals 1 to 9 of the adding mechanism selector bank 8 serve to control the non-illustrated sub-adding mechanism in connection with the selector keys 16 and 17 located in the modecontrol bank 7.

, An indicator device 25 is located above the keyboard field 2 in FIG. 1, and to the left-hand side of the latter, there is provided a window 26 through which a control strip 27 canbe observed. An additional window 28, through which position or posting counters 29 and be visually inspected, is formed in the front face of the cash register 1, while on the left-hand side 30, as viewed in FIG. 1 of the cash register 1, there is provided a horizontal notch 31 whose lower edge is defined by a projecting voucher table 32 which serves for inserting blanks to be imprinted and is furnished with a scale 33 as well as anadjustable stop member 34. The cash register 1 is carried by a projecting chest of drawers 35 having two cash drawers 36 and 37 and is covered in the forward upper region thereof with a plate 38 for coins or change.

The mechanical drive of the cash register 1 is effected by an electric motor 40 (FIG. 3) whose shaft drives a pinion 41 that is in meshing engagement with a gear 43 which is rotatable on a pin 42. The gear 43 is rigidly connected to a pinion 44 meshing with a gear 45 which, in turn, has a pinion 46 secured thereto and meshing with a gear 47. A ratchet disc 48 is fastened to the gear 47 and is provided with a step-shaped abutment 49 as well as an elastic coupling or clutch 51 having entrainer pins 51 that are operatively connected to a gear 52 which meshes with a gear 54 fastened to the main shaft 53 of the'machine. A roller 55 is rotatably mounted at the forward face of the gear 54 and cooperates with-a guiding curve member 56 of a reset lever 57"which is rotatably mounted on a fixed pin 58 and is provided with an arm 59 to which a tension or tie rod 60 is movably connected. A bore 61 is formed in the tie rod 60, and a pin 64 secured to a horizontal arm 62 of a bell-crank 63 is received in the bore 61. The bell-crank 63 is mounted on a fixed bearing pin 65, and a tension or tie rod 67 is movably connected to an arm 66 thereof, the tie rod 67 being pivotally mounted on a pin 68 of an indexing segment 69. The indexing segment 69 is mounted on an index shaft 70 which is furnished with index pins 71 whose function will be described hereinafter in greater detail. A rod 72 is movably connected to the pin 68 and is further operatively connected by means of a pin 73 to a release or tripping segment 74 which is mounted on a bearing pin 75. A tension spring 77, suspended at one end from a fixed pin 76, engages, at the other end thereof, the pin 73. The spring 77 holds in the starting position a stop 78 of the tripping segment 74 in abutment with a cam 79 of an indexing member 82 secured to an indexing shaft 81 and belonging to the blocking device 80.

The indexing segment 69 has an arcuate profile 83 as well as an abutment 84 which cooperate with a roller 86 rotatably secured to a blocking lever 85. The double-armed blocking lever is provided with a stop or abutment 87 whichcomes into engagement with the fixed elastic abutment 88 in the engaged or tripped position of the blocking lever 85, and is provided with a lever arm 89 on which a tension or tie rod 90 as well as an indexing rod 91 are suspended. The indexing rod 91 is formed with a rectangular recess 92, wherein an indexing lever 93 of a non-illustrated motor switch engages, and is provided at the lower end thereof with a bearing pin 94 on which a lever arm of a triple-armed clutch lever 95 is rotatably mounted. An arm 96 of the clutch lever 95 which is rotatable abut the pin 58, is provided with a hook-shaped stop or abutment 97 that cooperates with a cam 98 of an indexing disc 99 secured to the rear side of the gear 54 as viewed in FIG. 3. The other arm 100 of the clutch lever 95 has a convex-shaped profile 101 which is controllable by an indexing roller 102 rotatably secured to the indexing disc 99. A pin 103 is riveted to the arm 66 of the bell-crank 63 and engages in a slot 104 formed in a tension or tie rod 105 which is movably connected to a lever arm 106 (FIG. 4) of a bell-crank 108 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 107. The bell-crank 108 is held by a tensing spring 109 in the starting position of FIG. 4 determined by the stop or abutment 110. At the portion 111 of the bell-crank 108, a sensing or keyhead 112 is secured, the actuation of which causes the displacement of the bell cranks 108 and 63 counterclockwise and the indexing segment 69 and the indexing shaft 70 in clockwise direction.

The aforementioned blocking device 80 (FIG. 5) includes a blocking segment 115 which is rotatably mounted on a shaft 116 and engaged by means of a pin 117 mounted thereon in a fork 118 of an indexing lever 1 19 which is mounted on an indexing shaft 120. At the outer profile 121 of the blocking segment 115, deep rectangular recesses 122 are formed at the positions 117! 4, 5n, 6", 8n, 9", a l", 13" and 1s, and flat or shallow rectangular notches 123 at the positions 2, 3", 7", 10", 12 and 14, which cooperate with profiled sensing levers 124.

The sensing lever 124 (FIG. 6) is provided with pins 125 with which it bears in bores 126 and 127 of the side walls 128 and 129, and is furnished with two crank arms 130 and 131 which are rigidly connected to one another by a profiled sensing rod 132. A tension spring 133 is connected to the sensing rod 132 and is suspended from a disc 134 carried by the shaft 116 and influences or controls the sensing lever 124 so as to bias the same in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6. On the shaft 1 16, there are furthermore rotatably mounted a blocking segment 135 coordinated with the control key bank 7 and influenced by a non-illustrated tension spring, a spring-biased blocking segment 136 belonging to the amount-key banks 5 and 6, as well as respective blocking segments 137 and 138 indexable by the number banks 3 and 4. The blocking segments 136 and 138 are profiled in similar manner to the blocking segment 115, shown in FIG. 5 and described hereinbefore.

From FIG. 5 it is apparent that, in the illustrated embodiment, deep recesses 122 are formed at the outer profile 121 of the blocking segment 115 which permit the sensing lever 124 coordinated therewith, to swing completely into the same while shallow notches 123 only permit a partial swing into the same, whereby the incidental sensing rod 132 prevents the subsequent turning of the blocking segments 115 and 136 and 138 yet does not release any machine run.

The blocking segment 135 (FIG. 6), on the other hand, has deep recesses 122 formed therein only at specific positions. The coordinated sensing levers 124 and 140 to 142, to which reference is made hereinafter, repose in the starting position on the outer profile 121 of the blocking segment 135 and can slip in completely only if all of the coordinated blocking segments 115 and 135 to 138 are provided with deep recesses 122 in adjusted positions 1 to At the outer profile 122, no inward swinging of the sensing member occurs, at the deep recess 122, however, a complete inward swing of the sensing member occurs, and at the flat rectangular notch 123 a partial inward swing of the sensing member takes place.

An adjustment of the blocking segment 135 takes place by means of a spring-loaded control slider 143 (FIG. 7) coordinated with the control key bank 7 and having a pin 144 to which a guide rod 145 is connected, the latter being, in turn, rotatably secured to the blocking segment 135. If necessary, several blocking segments sliders 135 and control sliders 143 can be coordinated with the control key bank 7. Also, the control sliders 143, when necessary, can be of such construction that, depending upon the actuated key, they can execute a movement either to the left-hand or right-hand side as viewed in FIG. 7, and thereby adjust thecoordinated blocking slider in clockwise or counterclockwise direction out of the starting position thereof. The adjustment of the blocking segment 136 is effected by means of a guide rod 146' which is movably connected to an arm 147 of an-indexing bridge 148 (FIG. 11) which is rotatably mounted on the aforementioned indexing shaft 70 whose indexing pins 71 (FIG. 8) cooperate with the arresting sliders 150 coordinated with the individual key banks. The indexing bridge 148 has indexing arms 151 which cooperate with pins 152 of releasing sliders 153 (FIG. 12) which belong to the amount-key banks 5 and 6'. The releasing sliders 153, upon actuation of one of the keys 11 and 12, are displaced toward the left-hand side, as viewed in FIG. 5,

and accordingly adjusts the blocking segment 136 by one unit position counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 6. For the keys 9 and 10 of the number banks 3 and 4, there are provided respective releasing sliders 154 and 155 (FIG. 13) which act upon an indexing bridge 156 and an indexing shaft 157 (FIG. 14), whose guide rods 158 and 159 are connected rotatably with the blocking segments 137 and 138.

On the shaft 116 there is rotatably mounted a starting segment 160 (FIG. 6) which is provided with inclined tooth profiles 161 against which the respective inwardly dipping sensing levers 124 and 140 to 142.

abut and, under the action of the tension spring 133 adjusts or shifts the starting segment 160 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 6, against the biasing action of the weaker tension spring 162. In a projection 163 of the starting segment 160 (FIG. 5), an elongated slot 164 is formed, a pin 165 of an indexing lever 166, which is secured to the indexing shaft 81 (FIGS. 3 and 6), being received therein. When the indexing shaft 81 is adjusted or shifted counterclockwise, the cam 79 is displaced out of the path of the projection 78, so that the drive motor 40 is switched on and, due to the clutch device shown in FIG. 3, a machine run is released wherein the main shaft 53 of the machine executes a complete rotation.

On the shaft 1 16, a resetting segment 167 is rotatably disposed, and is provided with arcuate teeth 168 by means of which sensing levers 124 and 140 to 142,

which have dipped in therebetween, respectively, are raised therefrom when the resetting segment 167 is rotated in clockwise direction. At the resetting segment 167, a tension or tie rod 169 is suspended and is formed with an elongated slot 170 in which a pin 171 (FIG. 9) of a lever 172 secured to the indexing shaft 70 is received. Upon the rotation of the indexing shaft 70 in clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, an operation performed mechanically by the device shown in FIG. 3 and 4 or effected manually and the resetting segment 167 raises the sensing levers 124 and 140 to 142 which had dipped therein partially or completely, as the case may be, and adjusts or shifts the arresting slider 150 by means of the indexing pins 71to 149, whereby all of the depressed keys are returned to the starting position under the action of the lifting springs thereof.

The adjustment of the blocking segment 115 (FIG. 5) is effected by a magnet 173 (FIG. 10) having armature 174 to which a pin 175 is secured. The pin 175 engages in an elongated slot 176 formed in an indexing lever 177 that is secured to the indexing shaft 120, the lever 177 being influenced by the biasing action of a torsion spring 178 which abuts at one end against a fixed pin 179 and which biases the indexing lever 177 into engagement with an abutment or stop 180. Energization of the magnet 173 is effected by a non-illustrated switch contact which is switched on by the insertion voucher or check blank on the voucher table 32.

The aforedescribed device of my invention operates as follows:

When a cash purchase which includes several postings of merchandise is made, the servicing personnel or checker of the cash register keys into the machine the stock number by means of the keys l0 and the price of the respective merchandise by means of the keys 11 and 12. In the course of this operation, the

blocking segments 136 and 137 are shifted one position, whereby the sensing lever 124 releasing the machine run, after being freed by the blocking segment 135 that is adjustable by the selector key 16, can fall into a recess or notch provided on the blocking segment. By means of the blocking segments 115 and 138 which remain in the starting position, the sensing lever 124 is accordingly not locked and it swings, through the starting segment 160, the cam 79 out of the path of the releasing segment 74 which shifts the indexing segment 69 counterclockwise under the action of the tension spring 77 of the releasing segment 74. The thereby freed blocking lever 85 switches the motor 40 on and simultaneously raises the projection 97 therefrom. The selector keys 16 and 17 of the control key bank 7 are locked in the starting position by a non-illustrated key locking slider convertible to the released position thereof -by the keys 23 of the adding mechanism selector bank 8.shortly before completion of the conventionally operating voucher insertion machine run, the indexing roller 102 rotates the clutch lever 95 counterclockwise to shut off the motor. The roller 55 then rotates the resetting lever 57 which, as aforedescribed, effects the resetting operation by means of the indexing shaft 70. As long as the checker or machine servicing personnel has not keyed in the merchandise number, the blocking segment 137 remains in the position illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the sensing lever 124, after release by the blocking segments135 and 136, can only partially fall into the appropriate notch formed on the blocking segment 137 and thereby locks in keys of the number bank 4 against actuation thereof. Due to the partial insertion of the sensing lever 124 within appropriate notch of the blocking segment and due to the subsequent locking of the keys l0, errors are thereby prevented in accordance with the invention, during the keying-in operation because none of the keys 9 or 10 and 11 and 12, as the case may be, can be adjusted after the actuation of a control or adding mechanism key. The intermediate lock of any one of the releasing sliders 153, 154 and 155 (FIG. 15) deriving from the blocking device 80 is of considerable importance for the case where the checker or machine servicing personnel, for example after actuation of the keys ll, 12, 16 and 23, determines that the machine run is not taking place and then attempts to actuate the keys l0 thereafter. If no intermediate lock were provided, the machine run would then take place after the first key 10 has been depressed and would register the false merchandise number. The coordination of a respective key slider with corresponding blocking segment for each number bank 3 and 4 would greatly increase the cost with respect to the machine and would moreover reduce the number of value or digit positions that are available.

After introducing all of the postings that are to be added, the final total is determined by means of the control key 13. This machine run is released by means of the sensing lever 141, whose coordinated blocking segment 135 has a full recess 122 in position 6. The remaining unshifted blocking segments 115 and 136 to 138, on the other hand, are provided with a full recess 122 in position 5", into which the sensing lever 124 can dip.

In contrast to a deduction or discounting operation, when purchasing on credit, for example, at the addition of all the posted entries, a blank check or invoice blank or other voucher is introduced in order to switch on the magnet 173 which shifts the blocking segment 115, through one indexing step, clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 5, so that the full recess 122 coordinated with the position 4 is located opposite the sensing lever 140. Also, the respective merchandise number must be keyed in by means of the keys 10. It is obvious from FIG. 6 that a respective full recess 122 is coordinated with the blocking segments 135, 136 and 137 in position 4" and a full recess 122 with the unshifted blocking segment 138 in position 3", so that the machine run can be completed.

In the totalizing machine run for purchase on credit, wherein the respective customer number is to be entered by means of the keys 9, and the account remains in the printing position, the control key 18 is actuated thereby releasing the sensing lever 142. The blocking segments 115, 135 and 138 being shifted have full recesses 122 in position 8, whereas the blocking segments 136 and 137 remaining at rest are furnished with full recesses 122 in position 7.

The type of apparatus upon which the present invention is based is described in detail in U. S. Pat. No. 3,181,784. FIGS. 11 and 11a of this patent define the blocking device 580, the specifications of which are derived from German Pat. No. 964,905, hereinbefore mentioned.

The novelty of the blocking device of the invention lies in the fact that deep rectangular notches 122 and shallow notches 123 are worked in at the profiles 121 of the segments 115, 135, I36, 137 and 138 in individual positions 1 to 15. If, at any of the key adjustments, all the blocking segments and to 138 which stand opposite a sensing lever 124 to 142) have deep notches 122 in the respective position, the

sensing rod 132 of the spring-loaded sensing lever 124 (140 to 142) relative to FIG. 5 may swing into all the notches 122 of the corresponding position whereby the unblocked sensing lever 124 relative to FIG. 5 moves counterclockwise down to the bottom of the notch 122 thereby releasing the machine for operation.

If one of the adjusted blocking segments 115 and 135 to 138, for example, the blocking segment 136 of FIG. 6, has a shallow notch at the corresponding position, the sensing lever 124 or 140 which is provided for the release operation can perform only a slight rotational movement since its coordinated sensing rod 132 is prematurely installed in the shallow notch 123. This results in the partially pivoted sensing lever 124 or 140, 141, 142 blocking the blocking segment 137 which is connected via the guide rod 158 (FIG. 14) to the control bridge 156. The control bridge 156 blocks the releasing sliders 154 (FIGS. 5 and 13) of the number bank 4 (FIG. 2). It is therefore impossible to subsequently actuate the keys 10.

The blocking segment 115 is turned clockwise by the excited magnet 173 (FIG. 10) by only one position from its starting position relative to FIG. 5. The blocking segment 135 is adjustable via the keys 13 to 20 of the control key bank 7 and may be shifted from its starting position in both directions of rotation by one or more positions through an appropriate design of the control slider 143. In the illustrated embodiment, the remaining blocking segments 136, 137 and 138 are shifted by only one position in the clockwise direction from the starting position, since the coordinated releasing sliders 153, 154 and 155 are moved in only one direction. If necessary, these releasing sliders may be designed so that each key or small group of keys of a key bank transfers the coordinated releasing slider and the cooperating blocking segment into variable control positions.

lclaim:

1. Blocking device for registering business machines having a keyboard field including number key banks and amount-key banks, comprising blocking means operatively connected to and adjustable by keys of the number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and sensing members cooperating with said blocking means for releasing the machine for operation, said blocking means being formed with locking and releasing profiles for locking said keys as well as for intermediately locking said sensing members and for completely releasing said sensing members from controlled condition thereof, and said blocking means comprising a plurality of rotary segments having peripheral notches formed therein, and including key sliders operatively engageable with the blocking means whereby when any of said sensing members slips into a notch it locks the corresponding rotary segment against turning and blocks a corresponding one of the key sliders and prevents the depression of the keys of the key banks to respond prior to the commencement of operation of the machine;

2. Blocking device according to claim 1, wherein said locking and releasing profiles of said blocking means are in the form of recesses of varying shape that selectively afford conversion of said sensing members in controlled condition to intermediately locked and to released positions.

3. Blocking device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary segments of the blocking means are adjustable by said keys of said number key banks and said amount-key banks.

4. Blocking device according to claim 3, wherein said blocking means are spring-biased, and the key sliders are operatively engageable with said blocking means for adjusting the same, and further comprising transmission members connected to respective rotary segments of said blocking means for adjusting the same, said key sliders being operatively connected in groups with a respective common transmission member.

5,. Blocking device according to claim 4, wherein each of the rotary segments of the blocking means has notches formed at the periphery thereof, and wherein said sensing member, in said intermediately locked condition thereof, is received in a notch formed at the periphery of a respective rotary blocking segment whereby said blocking segment is arrested against rotation thereof, the transmission members associated with the respective blocking segment having a locking effect on the key slider operatively connected thereto.

6. Blocking device according to claim 4, wherein said key sliders operatively engageable with the respective rotary blocking segments for adjusting the same, act as key locking sliders in said locking and intermediately locking positions of said blockin se ments.

7. B ockmg device according o c arm 4, wherein the business machines also have a control key bank, and including a control slider of the control key bank operatively connected to a blocking segment for adjusting said blocking segment, said control slider of the control key bank being adjustable in a plurality of directions.

8. Blocking device according to claim 1 wherein the business machines have means for inserting therein a voucher to be imprinted and have a control key bank, and the rotary segments of the blocking means are coordinated with the number key banks and the amount-key banks, and including means for adjusting at least another of said rotary segments, and electromagnet means for adjusting yet another of the rotary segments that is controllable by the insertion of a voucher into the business machine.

9. Blocking device according to claim 1, wherein said sensing members are crank-shaped and include profiled sensing components.

NO" 371 9 Dated F y 13, 1973 IL M CQ GERHARD RETHMEIER 1* 133.66. the-1: error appears in the above-idc-.ntified patent u- J J.- .LL. .L L

Leiters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

and that said In the headihg to the printed specification, line 10,

"Sept. 2%, 1969 Geflvmany...o.. P 19 +8 2336" shouldir'ead --Sept. 2M, 1969 G I vmanyQHHP 19 M8 2236- Signed and sealec} this 20th day of November 1973.

(SEAL) Attest: i

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting (lommissioner of Patents "ant No 3,7 9 I Dated February 13, 1973 111VQRKOI GERHARD RECLHMEIER It is ceztified the error appeas in c e mov identified patent and that saiu Letcezs Pai cut are hereby corrected as slam-m below:

In the heading to the printed specification, line 10,

Sept. EL, 1969 Germany. .P 19 +8 233.6" should read Sept. 2a, 1969 German .,P 19 #8 223.6.

Signed and sealec} this 20th day of November 1973.,

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. RENE D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. Blocking device for registering business machines having a keyboard field including number key banks and amount-key banks, comprising blocking means operatively connected to and adjustable by keys of the number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and sensing members cooperating with said blocking means for releasing the machine for operation, said blocking means being formed with locking and releasing profiles for locking said keys as well as for intermediately locking said sensing members and for completely releasing said sensing members from controlled condition thereof, and said blocking means comprising a plurality of rotary segments having peripheral notches formed therein, and including key sliders operatively engageable with the blocking means whereby when any of said sensing members slips into a notch it locks the corresponding rotary segment against turning and blocks a corresponding one of the key sliders and prevents the depression of the keys of the key banks to respond prior to the commencement of operation of the machine.
 1. Blocking device for registering business machines having a keyboard field including number key banks and amount-key banks, comprising blocking means operatively connected to and adjustable by keys of the number key banks and of the amount-key banks, and sensing members cooperating with said blocking means for releasing the machine for operation, said blocking means being formed with locking and releasing profiles for locking said keys as well as for intermediately locking said sensing members and for completely releasing said sensing members from controlled condition thereof, and said blocking means comprising a plurality of rotary segments having peripheral notches formed therein, and including key sliders operatively engageable with the blocking means whereby when any of said sensing members slips into a notch it locks the corresponding rotary segment against turning and blocks a corresponding one of the key sliders and prevents the depression of the keys of the key banks to respond prior to the commencement of operation of the machine.
 2. Blocking device according to claim 1, wherein said locking and releasing profiles of said blocking means are in the form of recesses of varying shape that selectively afford conversion of said sensing members in controlled condition to intermediately locked and to released positions.
 3. Blocking device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary segments of the blocking means are adjustable by said keys of said number key banks and said amount-key banks.
 4. Blocking device according to claim 3, wherein said blocking means are spring-biased, and the key sliders are operatively engageable with said blocking means for adjusting the same, and further comprising transmission members connected to respective rotary segments of said blocking means for adjusting the same, said key sliders being operatively connected in groups with a respective common transmission member.
 5. Blocking device according to claim 4, wherein each of the rotary segments of the blocking means has notches formed at the periphery thereof, and wherein said sensing member, in said intermediately locked condition thereof, is received in a notch formed at the periphery of a respective rotary blocking segment whereby said blocking segment is arrested against rotation thereof, the transmission members associated with the respective blocking segment having a locking effect on the key slider operatively connected thereto.
 6. Blocking device according to claim 4, wherein said key sliders operatively engageable with the respective rotary blocking segments for adjusting the same, act as key locking sliders in said locking and intermediately locking positions of said blocking segments.
 7. Blocking device according to claim 4, wherein the business machines also have a control key bank, and including a control slider of the control key bank operatively connected to a blocking segment for adjusting said blocking segment, said control slider of the control key bank being adjustable in a plurality of directions.
 8. Blocking device according to claim 1, wherein the business machines have means for inserting therein a voucher to be imprinted and have a control key bank, and the rotary segments of the blocking means are coordinated with the number key banks and the amount-key banks, and incluDing means for adjusting at least another of said rotary segments, and electromagnet means for adjusting yet another of the rotary segments that is controllable by the insertion of a voucher into the business machine. 